The Mammography Department at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital has been closed until early October.

The closure will allow the Bermuda Hospitals Board to upgrade the Department with new digital mammography equipment.

Manager of Diagnostic Imaging at the hospital, Renée Butterfield, said: "We are excited to be so close to offering digital mammograms for our clients.

"We work hard to provide an extremely high level of comfort and care for every patient who comes to us for a mammogram and very soon we will be able to match our service with the latest digital equipment that is faster, provides a high quality image and uses less radiation. Because the image is digital, there is also a faster turnaround on radiology reports so that people get the results of their exam much faster."

Chief of Diagnostic Imaging, Dr Daniel Stovell added: "The new digital mammography equipment is great news for the people of Bermuda.

"All of our equipment at the hospital's Diagnostic Imaging Department is now going to be digital, enabling us to provide faster tests, check images almost immediately and turn around reports very quickly."

Clients who had their mammogram appointment scheduled during the closed month will be called and rescheduled.